General Notes:
Robert Demedewe was born about 1290. When I read that I wondered about the date. The number doesn't tell me much, only that it was a long time ago. What went on in Robert's neighborhood? And where was his neighborhood? We were unable to find the exact location of Witnesham, but Suffolk is a "county" near London on the most eastern portion of land jutting into the English Channel.

So, what was going on back then? The Scottish War of Independence was in progress, 1286-1371. King Edward's wife died in November of 1290. Parliament was formed and met for the first time in 1275, a large step towards civil order. In 1297 William Wallace defeated the English at Stirling Bridge and in 1298 King Edward brought the full weight of the English military on William Wallace and the Scot Army. Marco Polo was still in China in 1290.

But this is much too condensed. We have found some items of historical significance covering the decade from 1290 to 1300. We list these as follows:

1290 - 1. Teutonic Knights end a 30 year effort to control the Prussians. 2. England is on the verge of bankruptcy and expels all Jewish Bankers and writes off all debts to them. The Medicis of Italy serve to replace the Jewish bankers. 3. Eleanor, wife of King Edward dies.

1291 - 1. Expulsion of Christian Crusaders from Syria. 2. King Edward is asked to mediate Scottish claims and grievances; a prelude to war.

1292 - 1. Marco Polo begins his return journey to Europe. The Polos arrive at the island of Java then sail for eighteen months in the Indian Ocean. 2. King Edward selects John Balliol as the new King of Scotland.

1293 - 1. The Polos arrive in Persia then sails on to "Trebizond" on the southern coast of the Black Sea where they are robbed and stripped of anything with value.

1294 - 1. Kublai Khan dies at age 80. 2. May of 1294 finds King Philip IV of France confiscating Gascony and relations with France turn for the worse. Edward asks Parliament for funds to pay an army but local conflicts with the Scots and Welsh prevent approval of the request.

1295 - 1. Marco Polo narrated his travels to master Rustigielo, a citizen of Piza. Marco Polo is in prison at the time. 2. In October the Scots make an alliance with France and Edward declares war on both. Parliament agrees to raise the money for an army.

1296 - 1. King Edward takes his army into Scotland and defeats the Scots led by Balliol, the person he had placed on the Scottish throne, then Edward removes the 458 pound Stone of Scone on which Scottish kings were crowned, from Scotland and places it in Westminster where it remained until 1996.

1297 - 1. Believing he had solved his Scottish problems, King Edward sails for France to regain Gascony, which he does through a treaty with King Philip. 2. William Wallace raises an army of Scots and defeats the English at Stirling Bridge.

1298 - 1. Albert of Austria defeats Adolph of Nassua near Worms, Germany. 2. King Edward bring to bear the strength of the English Army on William Wallace and defeats the Scots at Falkirk. 3. Marco Polo describes the use of paper money in China.

1299 - 1. The Travels of Marco Polo is published. 2. William Wallace escapes to France.

1303 - 1. King Edward invades Scotland intent on bringing a quick end to his Scottish problems.

1305 - 1. William Wallace returns and is captured near Glasgow. He is executed in August.

The North American continent is unknown, and the great age of exploration and discovery has yet to take place.

Ambrose Meador immigrated from England to Warrisquicke (later Isle of Wight) County, Virginia before 1636, and moved about 1649 to Lancaster County, Virginia. Descendants lived in Virginia and elsewhere.

General Notes:
Thomas Meador was born in 1612, England. He came to the new world 1 June 1636 using the headright system. Thomas settled on land about 50 miles north of Jamestown on a part of the Charles River, Northumberland, Lancaster, Rappahannock, and Essex counties as each was established. He married, and between 1635-37 Thomas Jr. was born. Thomas did well raising tobacco and paid passage for others claiming their land.

The Will of Thomas Meads/Meador

The last will and testament of Tho. Meads (Meador) made the 5th. day of March (54.) Imp nt. I do bequeath my body to the Earth & my soul to God that gave it. I do make my wife my sole & absolute Excr. I do give to my wife and Daughter Mary this planation that I now live upon and all the land on this side of the Creek, and the sd. plantation not to be my Daughter's 'till after my wife's decease. I do give to my two sons Thos. & John Meads all the land that is on the west side of the Creek provided that they pay unto my two Daughters Margaret & Joyce out of the s. land two thousand pounds of tob. & cask at their day of marriage, and in case eithre of the(m) die that the sd. tob. to belong to the survivor. I do give unto my wife & sons & my Daughters above mentioned all my goods and chattels after my debts are paid and that they shall be equally divided amongst them. I do give to my Daughter Anne all the cattle that belongeth to her which is about five head of cattle, and likew!
ise I do give unto her one shilling in money. This is my last will and testament as witness my hand the day & year above written.

GRANTEE Meads, Thomas. grantee. DATE 7 September 1654. Location: County location not given. Grantee(s): Meads, Thomas, and John Phillips. Description: 1000 acres on the south side of the Freshes of Rappa: River about 16 Miles above Nanzemum Towne. Source: Land Office Patents No. 3, 1652-1655, p. 376 (Reel 2).

Thomas married Sarah Unknown [15048] [MRIN: 4982] about 1635 in Virginia. (Sarah Unknown [15048] was born about 1600 in England and died about 1655 in Virginia.)

General Notes:
It was the custom to name male children using biblical names starting with "J", at least in the Meador family. This practice continued for several generations and although it has been confusing, it does serve to identify this family.

"John Meador married Elizabeth White, daughter of Richard White. On Dec 10, 1695 he divided his land among his children. He described himself as "John Meadors, widow, in the county of Essex, for the love I have for my children by my wife to be divided equally between them, as near as I can divide it. To my son Richard Meador and my son John Meador, land by John Evans; land on the east side of great branch to my son Hope Meador; to my daughter Rachael Meador 105 acres bought of Edward Thacker also land given me by my father-in-law, Richard White, land also to daughters Elizabeth and Esther Meador. . ."

John was born about 1658 married Elizabeth White. Elizabeth died on August 17, 1694. John married second unknown Awbrey. On December 10, 1695, in anticipation of a second marriage, John made a deed of gift to his seven children He is listed in court records in Essex County, Virginia as John Meador Senior. John and his family lived in Farnham Parish of Essex County, Virginia on the south side of the Rappahannock River. His will was probated November 23, 1721 in Essex County. Will: "I give to my son Thomas Meador one shilling; I give my daughter, Rachale Jodan, one shilling; to my daughter Elize Armstrong, one shilling; to my daughter Dinah Tribbile, one shilling; my desire is that my five sons shall keep their own guns without appraisal. I give to my daughter Mary Meador one gold ring. I give to my son Jones Meador a small piece of land joining upon Thomas Evan's and running up to church road that goes by my house then up a long road a small course until it comes to the fork !
of the branch where it began and from the fork to the first beginning and the rest of my land I give to the other four sons to be equally divided with all my houses and orchards thereon belonging and I do appoint my two sons Jobe and Jason Meador my executor. I give my son Joshua Meador one chest not to be appraised and the rest of my estate to be equally divided among my children and I do leave my two youngest sons to be of age at seventeen and I do leave my son Jonas Meador to look after them for three years and that my will not be in force 'til my decease as witness by my hand and seal this 17th day of October, 1721. Estate 3, 1717-22 C. 7283, pp. 284-5.

John married Elizabeth White [15043] [MRIN: 4979], daughter of Richard White [15058] and Addra Unknown [20693], about 1677. (Elizabeth White [15043] was born in 1660 in Essex County, Virginia and died on 17 Aug 1694.)

John next married Mary Awbrey [15044] [MRIN: 4980] after 1694. (Mary Awbrey [15044] was born in 1678 and died in Oct 1721 in Essex, Caroline County, Virginia.)

General Notes:
Records show some of the Meadors living in Cumberland County, Virginia in the 1740's. Although he owned land there, Jonas and Frances did not move there until 1751 locating in an area now a part of the State Forest. By the time Jonas died in 1768, he had acquired 630 acres.

geocities.com - meador: "One of the odd things about Jonas' will is that Jobe and Jason are made executors of the will, neither being of age at the time. Jonas was called "annex administrator" of his father's will during the minority of the executor. He was asked by his father in the will to look after Jobe and Jason for 3 years until 17, the age of majority."

n 1751, Jonas Meador moved to Cumberland county, Virginia, settling at the heads of Deep and Muddy creeks about 5 miles NE of the present county seat. A Meador cemetery is still in the vicinity. Here he raised a family of nine children, who contributed greatly to future western migrations. Of these children, only daughter Frances and sons Jonas, Jr, Jehu, and Jesse continued to live in Cumberland County, the others moving westward into the Bedford Franklin area of Virginia. Josiah moved to the Giles creek area of Virginia. His youngest son, Jesse, enlisted in the revolution October 17, 1775, and was his only son to serve. He was in the minute men of the Amelia District of Cumberland county and served under Captain Joseph Carrington. Three of his grandsons also served in the revolution. They were the sons of Joel: John, Jonas Jr, and Joel. At his death in 1768, Jonas owned 630 acres; his will was dated may 5, 1768, and was probated august 23, 1768. The oldest son, Joel, inher!
ited 430 acres, but as he had already taken up residence in Bedford county, he sold his interests: 230 acres to his mother- Frances, and 200 acres to his brother Jesse who had received the other 200 acres from his father. Jonas Meador, Jr had already purchased land in Bedford County, but upon his father's death, he sold it and returned to the farm to manage his mother affairs until his death in 1773. His mother, Frances, executed a will august 17, 1774 but as it was not probated until September 25, 1780, her death probably occurred nearer the later date.

Jonas married Frances Hudgens [15072] [MRIN: 4988] after 1720. (Frances Hudgens [15072] was born in 1702 in Franklin County, Virginia and died in Sep 1780 in Cumberland County, Virginia.)